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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26888590">Dancing With A Stranger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starchyportal/pseuds/starchyportal'>starchyportal</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teenage Bounty Hunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, april stevens - Freeform, blair wesley - Freeform, sterling wesley - Freeform, tbh, teenagebountyhunters - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:29:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,659</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26888590</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starchyportal/pseuds/starchyportal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sterling and April struggle after the break up at the lock in and find themselves both jealous at the same party.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Stepril - Relationship, Sterling/April</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>153</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dancing With A Stranger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello! i apologize for any spelling/grammar mistakes. english is my first language but by the way i write some might think i’m illiterate lol. this is my first work so let me know what y’all think!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hannah B was never good at reading the room.</p><p> </p><p>You would think Ezequiel would have told her enough about staying in touch with drama, but Hannah B seemed out of touch with everyone. She saw nothing wrong with inviting two of her friends from fellowship to her birthday party. So what if April and Sterling haven't been the best of friends since 5th grade? Hannah B is sure they'll just avoid each other, or maybe even get along. Right?</p><p> </p><p>———————————————————</p><p> </p><p>It's been 5 weeks since the lock in. Sterling and April haven't exchanged words much; only a few times in classes and after Sterling came back from her few days off after being kidnapped they've spoken. Yet they've never had a true conversation since that painful night at Willingham High. Since then April has chosen Luke as her beard, and Sterling had come out. She came out to her family, friends, and everyone at school. This obviously brought upon slurs and weird looks in the hallway, but Blair made it obvious she wasn't putting up with anyone's shit. </p><p> </p><p>Unbeknownst to the two girls, they both still pine for each other. Sterling still stares at April twirling her ponytail in Spanish class. Almost as much as April listens in to every conversation that has the name Sterling in it.</p><p> </p><p>"Sterling! Hey!"</p><p> </p><p>Her ears perk up.</p><p> </p><p>"Hannah B, hey! What's up?"</p><p> </p><p>"So you have a plus one, you bringing a lucky boy?....or girl!" Hannah B remembers as Ezequiel palms his forehead behind her.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, I'm not sure. I was gonna bring Blair, but I guess I'll look for someone there maybe?"</p><p> </p><p>April hates that. <em>How can she just move on so fast? Is she really already over me? I mean I know we only dated for a little while, but I thought I meant more to her. Should I be worried that I'll never get her back?</em> April panics in her mind relentlessly.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, bring Blair, absolutely you can bring Blair! Blair is great! And she's so funny and her hair is so pretty and—"</p><p> </p><p>"Okay yes, we get it, Blair can come." Ezequiel says before Hannah B passes out from not taking a breath.</p><p> </p><p>———————————————————</p><p> </p><p>Sterling walks out of the building at the end of the school day adjusting her uniform that was always somewhat itchy. Thoughts are racing through her mind about tonight. <em>Who knows maybe I will run into someone I might like. 'April. I like April, she'll be there.' a second voice in her head pops up. No, anyone but April, not her. 'Why not?' She's with Luke, my ex, she broke my heart at the lock in, and she's probably not interested.</em></p><p> </p><p>"Sterl?" Blair speaks up breaking Sterling out of her trance.</p><p> </p><p>"Huh?" She looks up wondering how she's already at the car.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you want a ride home or not? Get in."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh shoot, my bad."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It can't be April. 'It's always been April.'</em>
</p><p> </p><p>—————————————————</p><p> </p><p>The party seems more intense than she thought it would be. Awkwardly, she uses all her strength to lean into Luke's grasp around her shoulder as they walk in. April isn't comfortable with him, not like she was with Sterling. He was sweet and never pushed April into things, maybe because part of him was scared of her, but that's one thing April appreciates about Luke.</p><p> </p><p>It looks like Ezequiel and his friends have already slipped something into the punch. It was very apparent that the people at this party were intoxicated. April gazes around the room spotting Hannah B and Blair chatting, very closely she might add. She would go up and say hi, but it'd seem she'd be interrupting something. She glances at a few drunken teen boys wrestling and two kids in the corner eating each others faces. Then she spots her.</p><p> </p><p>Sterling was out of her school attire and looked absolutely incredible in April's eyes, not like she ever fails to look good though. The girl next to her though? Well, she's not sure who that is. April detaches herself from Luke and decides it's time to interrupt Blair and Hannah B's almost staring contest.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey Hannah B, happy birthday!" April says hugging the slightly taller girl. Blair gives her a nod and a half smile, which is much better than what she thought she had coming.</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you so much, I'm so glad you came! This is Blair by the way." She says with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah.. we've met," she says trying to avoid the painfully awkward moment, "Who's that girl? I don't think I've met her." April points to the girl in denim next to Sterling.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh yeah! That's my cousin, her names Piper. She and Sterling seem to be hitting it off huh." She says with a bad wink and an elbow nudge towards Blair as Piper puts her hand on Sterling's waist as they dance to the heavy bass song.</p><p> </p><p>All April can think of is rage. Blair sees it in April's eyes and posture and moves Hannah B and herself to a different area of the room. <em>Who is that girl and why does she just assume she  can do that. That should be me. I should be the one who is touchy at a party. And why does Sterling not care about me. I can let loose too. Yeah fuck this and fuck Piper, I can let loose too.</em> April practically runs over to Luke, who's standing next to his golf buddies, and pushes her lips into him. It's not good. His lips taste like banana Laffy Taffy and....sausage? However, she continues to kiss him and tries seem into it. She breaks away after an uncomfortable few, very long, minutes and sees Sterling staring. <em>I fucked up.</em> She fucked up.</p><p> </p><p>———————————————————</p><p> </p><p>Sterling can feel her eyes start to water as she watches them pull apart.</p><p> </p><p>"Are you okay?" Piper asks concerned noticing the red forming in her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, I um, I think I need some air." She says as she walks out of the house and sits on Hannah B's curb.</p><p> </p><p>Sterling knew April was dating Luke as a cover, but God she really didn't think she would go that far. It hurt so bad to see her ex kiss someone like that, she knows April is a lesbian, but wow can she put on a show. Sterling sits there looking at the big house across the street thinking about that kiss, <em>I wish that was me.</em></p><p> </p><p>She hears footsteps behind her. They're not Blair's loud stomps or Luke's surprisingly light feet.</p><p> </p><p>"Sterl?" God that voice will be the death of her.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't you and your boyfriend have a party to keep entertaining?" she bites.</p><p> </p><p>April sits down beside her, "Please, that's the first action he's gotten in weeks. I think if he gets a little more he might implode." The two girls slightly chuckle breaking some tension.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't understand why," Sterlings tears start forming again, "why do you do this to me?"</p><p> </p><p>"What?" April's confused and doesn't know where this is going.</p><p> </p><p>"You know I like you, so much. You make me feel all these things. You know I would kill for us to be able to just be together. So why do you make it your job to rub in your fake relationship with Luke in my face. Why is it when you see me at a party trying to relax at least a little, you have to kiss him." Sterlings voice is starting to raise in an angry way, setting off thousands of alarms in April's head.</p><p> </p><p>"I wanna be with you. I wanna kiss you and tell everyone at this stupid party you're mine. I want to so bad, but then I see you dance with girls like piper and I wonder why you would even want me. I think why does that girl get to hold you the way I want to. I get so jealous and I feel like I have to compete, while also not being out. So I end up doing things I hate to make myself feel in charge. " April says softly trying to cancel out Sterling's frustrated tone.</p><p> </p><p>Sterling stays quiet and slowly rotates her body to face April. "You broke up with me," she whispers almost inaudibly, "you led me on and then kicked me while I was down," her voice is getting stronger, "all I wanted was to hold your hand at the fucking lock in." April can't tell if her voice is breaking because of sadness or pent up rage. Sterling dropping a word like fuck means she's upset, she knows that. Not knowing if this would diffuse the situation or increase it ten fold, she grabs Sterling's hand tenderly.</p><p> </p><p>"I wanted that too." Sterling looks like she's about to speak, but April cuts her off. "Sterl, your family and friends were so good to you after you came out. Your mom, sister, and dad love you unconditionally. Mine don't, they definitely have some conditions. I can't be out, not with my dad out of prison. Sterling, I care so much about you, but if he ever found out," she pauses, "I don't think I could take that beating, literally." Sterling is now holding April's hand just as tight.</p><p> </p><p>"I know, and I'm sorry I tried to push you, but I didn't think you'd give me a second chance."</p><p> </p><p>"I'd give you a million second chances, Sterling Wesley."</p><p> </p><p>Sterling grabs the side of April's face gently, she places her forehead on hers. Hesitantly they both lean in. It's better than how April and Sterling imagined in their beds at night or during a boring history lecture. April kisses back like her life depends on it, taking in the flavor of vanilla and green tea like she remembered. Her hands travel to Sterlings hips, pulling her in. Sterling gently pulls back from April and looks into her eyes and smiles.</p><p> </p><p>"So how do we keep us a secret?"</p>
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